Online Press Room

MCC to Enhance Dual Credit Classes with $10,000 State Grant

[Thursday, September 07, 2017]

McHenry County College (MCC) recently received a $10,000 grant from the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) to enhance dual-credit offerings. MCC’s dual-credit program allows students at various area high schools to enroll in college courses and earn college credit before graduating from high school. The grant will fund enrichment activities for courses in the culinary, horticulture and computer departments.

"We're pleased that ICCB recognizes the value of our innovative dual-credit courses and enhancement of our existing dual-credit courses," said Tony Capalbo, associate dean for College and Career Readiness.

Starting this fall, two dual-credit culinary classes will be available to students at Crystal Lake South High School: MCC's Intro to Professional Hospitality (CLM 100) and MCC's Food Sanitation and Safety (CLM 105). In addition to purchasing a classroom set of textbooks, the grant includes funds for a field trip to the National Restaurant Association Show at McCormick Place. Students who successfully complete Food Sanitation and Safety are prepared to sit for the Illinois Food Service Safety test, qualifying them for employment in a restaurant.

MCC will partner with Huntley High School to offer MCC’s lab science course, Introduction to Plant Science (HRT 103), in an online, blended format. Students will complete online course work and use the high school science lab to conduct experiments on their own time. Because this is the first time Huntley High School is offering a blended lab science course, the grant provides funding for professional development training for the instructor.

Finally, the grant will provide funding to train high school teachers to continue to offer Computer Literacy for Windows (CDM 110). Computer Literacy for Windows has been one of MCC’s most popular dual-credit offerings, with up to 500 high school students at eight area high schools completing the course each school year. The participating high schools include: Alden-Hebron, Cary Grove, Crystal Lake Central, Crystal Lake South, Prairie Ridge, Johnsburg, McHenry West and Woodstock. This course has been updated this fall with a new HTML section, and the high school instructors will receive additional training in order to continue teaching the course.